


Couldn't Have Done it Without You

by peachbun_00



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Comfort/Angst, Creation, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father Figures, Gen, Geniuses, Mentor/Protégé, Post-Android Revolution (Detroit: Become Human), Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-28
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-07-18 12:10:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16118174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachbun_00/pseuds/peachbun_00
Summary: Carl Manfred has passed away. It has been four months since the peaceful revolution had been successful and at his funeral, no one expected to see Elijah Kamski, but they did. He told a breathtaking eulogy along with a story. A story depicting how important Carl Manfred was to the creation of androids.





	Couldn't Have Done it Without You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this isn't the most elaborate first chapter, but I promise the next one and the ones to come will be more engaging. I've always found first chapters the hardest and can't wait to bring you more amazing content!

"I can't believe this happened. I'm so sorry," North, a WR400 and one of the leaders of the android revolution, put her hand gently on her boyfriend's shoulder. Her eyes were wet and down turned.

Markus, a prototype RK200 and the leader of Jericho as well as the creator and face of the android revolution, was unable to process her words. All he heard was pity. Today was a day the android had hoped would never come. Two days ago, his father, mentor and previous owner, Carl Manfred, had died of lung failure and a heart attack which broke many of his ribs. Hearing the scream as he entered the Manfred Mansion, Markus ran as fast as he could into his father figure's room. He wasn't fast enough. Greeted by the old man's current caretaker and android companion, Phillip, the revolution leader was told of the fast and painless death. Despite the ease of his death, there was no way this could be easier on Markus. Carl was all he had known for the first year and a half of his life and the kindest human he had ever met.

It was currently the tail end of spring with flowers blooming and leaves feeling safe on their branches as all kinds of rich people, police and family arrived at Carl Manfred's funeral. It was the early evening and the open casket memorial was at it's end. It was an hour until the brilliant painter, father and friend was to be buried and every minute that passed, Markus felt himself break a little more emotionally.

Another hand was placed upon him as a form of comfort. Looking up, Markus saw his closest friends: Simon, a PL600, and Josh, a PJ500, right by him with faces similar to North's.

"Do you want to greet more guests, Markus? There are some policemen who want to see you," Josh said, pointing to a group of four Detroit Police officers.

Nodding solemnly, the dark skinned android walked over to greet them, recognising half of them right away. Hank Anderson and Connor, the detectives who had been in charge of tracking down and destroying deviants. He didn't know what he thought of Hank Anderson, but Markus had helped Connor deviate and trusted him as he had helped the androids win the revolution.

“I’m sorry about what happened,” Hank Anderson said. “Mr. Manfred was a creative mind like no other and the world will suffer from the loss of this man.”

Brushing the sentiment off as another show of pity, Markus said thank you to the detective. “He was indeed a brilliant man,” the android said solemnly yet smoothly. The words were rehearsed along with the rest of his small talk. “The art Carl made was like no other and there won’t be any artists like him for decades to come, I’m sure.” So many of the guests were fans and owners of his work who were here to honour a great artist and brilliant creative mind. They weren’t here to remember and honour the life Carl lived of compassion and fatherly love for not only his son, but his android.

There was nothing spectacular about the next half hour until an unexpected guest arrived. Mouths dropped open and women swooned as a tall, swave man made his way to the open casket with a beautiful blonde woman hanging on his arm. There was no mistaking the undercut, the grace, the face that made anyone stop and stare. The only question was, why was this man here? Markus didn’t remember sending an invitation to him. Had he been invited by Phillip or Leo, Carl Manfred’s son, by any chance?

No matter how or why he was here, he was a guest for Markus to greet. With his friends following closely behind, the android put on his best fake smile and offered a hand to Elijah Kamski.

“I’m glad you could make it. This is an occasion no one saw coming and will weigh down our hearts for time to come,” Markus said his scripted and rehearsed greeting.

Taking his hand, Elijah Kamski tried to smile but didn’t succeed. “Thank you for the kind words. I knew Carl would go, but I never imagined it would be so soon.”

The way the billionaire spoke about the deceased man, it was almost as if they had been close friends. Everything about the android creator insinuated a close relationship, from the way he sadly smiled down at the old man to the way he couldn’t keep a professional smile on his face and the way he didn’t stray too far from the open casket.

Finally, it was time for the eulogies and burial. The crowd of friends, family and fans sat in the hall of the large church they were in and none of the attendees smiled.

Leo Manfred began by speaking about his father: telling stories from his childhood and telling about all the help he had been in his path to overcoming his red ice addiction. The head of the Detroit Art Committee spoke about the brilliant art and lessons that Carl had given the world. The woman teared up, but didn’t cry until she reached her seat upon finishing.

Makus told a long story of his times with Carl Manfred. The good, the rough, and the unimportant. He poured out his heart as he informed the crowd that the reason he deviated had been Carl and his love for the old man. He remembered out loud the last few days as his caretaker and personal android. There was possibly no one in the world as important to Markus as Carl Manfred and knowing he was gone for good made the android endlessly heartbroken. Not wanting to have a breakdown on stage, Markus left before he was finished telling the legacy of the man they lost and fell into North’s arms for comfort.

It seemed like it was time to bury Carl when a voice in the crowd said, “May I say a few words?”

All heads turned, including Markus’, and everyone saw that Elijah Kamski was standing and holding a piece of paper in his hands. Not hearing any objections, the former Cyberlife CEO got up and went to the stage.

Clearing his throat, Kamski said, “Carl Manfred was an amazing man. It may surprise you, but he had a huge impact on my life. To make a long story short, he is the reason androids look as beautiful as they do. He knew I had potential when he first heard of my ideas nineteen years ago. I want to tell you the story of the impact he had on my life.”

Markus didn’t know what to say, but it seemed like most of the crowd did. He heard a few voices say, “Yes, please tell us!”

“Alright, but this means starting at the beginning…”

 

 

Pacing back and forth, Elijah was so worried. This was his first demonstration as the CEO of his new company, Cyberlife. He was in Detroit showing the city his first batch of completed androids. They weren’t the prettiest, but their A.I was like no other.

Pushing his thick-rimmed glasses back into place and tightening his long, ragged, brown ponytail, he heard the ten second countdown until he needed to be on stage. Not the most charismatic person ever, he was a bundle of worries.

Feeling a pair of hands roughly push him past the curtains he had been standing behind, Elijah was greeted by bright lights and a sea of faces. Gathering up his courage and big boy voice, the genius stepped forward and said,

“Welcome everyone to the first showing of the Cyberlife android! In a few minutes I will bring them out, but how did I do this? Well, it was a struggle and I lost many nights of sleep to the creation of these beauties, but I can assure you, this A.I that is used in these androids are next level.

From washing and cooking to taxes and management, the Cyberlife android is the perfect addition to any household. For now, Cyberlife is focusing on domestic androids, but in the future we can expect androids to take charge of all aspects of life. No more will be the days of worrying if your chores are done or if the dog is fed. Say goodbye of worry and say hello to the Cyberlife android.”

With a grand gesture, Elijah pointed to the break in the curtains where four silver, skinless androids stepped out into the light. One had a feminine modeling while the other three were all men of different shapes from large and strong to thin and soft.

“These brilliant designs and four of many. Cyberlife has ten working models of domestic android. Interested investors, I have the other models backstage and would love to show you all of their capabilities. I will leave these four up here for you all to view and examine. Please, do not touch, but they will respond to speech and conversation so feel free to speak with them to find out more information.

Cyberlife: the future of A.I and androids for the sake of humanity. Human built and made for humans. Based in Detroit and hoping to enjoy your patronage! Thank you!” With that, Elijah left the stage and watched from a space between the curtains. His androids began interacting with his audience. He trusted their A.I to hold up, so the inventor went to grab a cup of coffee.

The show and presentation took a lot out of him. Elijah was only sixteen, yet he was the CEO of an android creating company, has created ten successful androids and was on the road to getting investors and partners for the company. Taking a sip of black coffee, he felt a rush of caffeine and comfort flow into him. The previous night had been an all nighter full of fretting over the presentation and adding final touches to the androids who were on stage.

Elijah had not expected company anytime soon, but ten minutes after he had sat down with the coffee, there was a knock at the backstage door. Answering it, Elijah was amazed to see who was in front of him. Carl Manfred.

Despite being middle aged, Carl Manfred had already earned many prestigious art awards and gotten his work in all the biggest museums in northern USA. There was almost nothing plain about the brilliant painter in front of Elijah and the teenager was starstruck.

“H-how can I help you, Mr. Manfred?” Elijah asked, cursing his nervous stutter under his breath.

A small chuckle escaped the painter’s lips. “I think you’re a brilliant man, Elijah Kamski. You’re androids are brilliant. Now, I’m not a man of science, so I have no clue how they work, but I think there’s one way you could improve upon them.”

A pit formed in his stomach as the teenager heard his artistic idol tell him he could do better. “I’m sorry you saw a flaw. What’s the matter?”

“Oh, no flaw. Only space to improve. Mr. Kamski, you’re not a very artistic, are you, son?”

Elijah had to shake his head. He didn’t have an artistic bone in his body. He had an idea of where this was going. “I know that my androids could be prettier. I am sincerely working on it, but as you said, I’m not very artistic.” Elijah was about to apologise when he was interrupted by the man in front of him.

“Would you like help making your androids look more human-like?”

Had he misheard? Did Carl Manfred want to help him design more lifelike androids that could fool the eye? “Are you for real? You want to help my androids look better?” Elijah couldn’t believe his ears.

“I’m for real. I think androids could be an amazing future and the next step I see is making them look more like you and me. Won’t that help them integrate with families and homes? Is that what you’re trying to do?”

That was exactly what he wanted to do. Make a domestic android that would be like a nanny, but better than humans in every way possible. “Would you like to come to my home tomorrow to discuss this more?”

“Sure. Send me the location and a time and I’ll be there. Just gotta find a babysitter for my son, but that won’t be hard at all.”

It was still difficult to process what had just happened. The painting genius of the century wanted to help him make his androids look more lifelike and human. This was a dream come true. Bouncing on his toes, the sixteen year old couldn’t believe his luck. There was no stopping him and his creations now!


End file.
